3D alignment in the adaptive software engineering curriculum

The Emersion education model was designed by embracing experience from industry and academia in Ireland, the UK and China. A significant part of the model is a curriculum for an honours degree programme in Computer Science to be delivered in the Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Elements of the curriculum are strongly aligned in three ways: constructively, horizontally and vertically. Constructive alignment is the well accepted approach to curriculum design which emphasises that learning, teaching and assessment must be aligned with the learning outcomes of all components of the programme. Horizontal alignment of elements requires the student to transfer problem solving knowledge between domains at the same stage of the programme. Vertical alignment requires that elements are structured to build on foundational knowledge and provide a platform for future elements. When combined, the three dimensions of alignment guide the curriculum development process. Our 3D aligned curriculum demonstrates how components interlink at various layers in a hierarchy to support the development of both the technical and transferrable skills required by the software industry in China and elsewhere.